Sexuality and Gender

Discovering your true self, understanding your identity, and finding your place within the LGBTQ+ community can be a complex journey. Whether this process feels challenging or surprisingly straightforward, one thing remains constant: you deserve a safe and supportive environment.

Let’s break down some key aspects:

Sexual Orientation:
- Sexual orientation refers to who you are attracted to, either physically or emotionally.
- It’s essential to recognise that you don’t need to be sexually active to have a sexual orientation.
Gender vs. Sex:
- Gender is how you express yourself socially, and it exists independently of your biological sex.
- Remember that your gender identity doesn’t necessarily align with the sex assigned to you at birth.

Often, the most significant distress doesn’t come from realising you’re not heterosexual or that your gender identity differs from societal norms. Instead, it’s the fear of judgment and potential mistreatment from others that can impact your self-esteem and sense of self. Having a safe space to discuss your feelings during the coming-out process can alleviate isolation. You don’t owe anyone an explanation of your sexuality or identity.

Our Practitioners:

“My approach for working with sexual orientation is a holistic and integrative approach with an emphasis placed on exploring childhood, utilisation of active imagination, metaphors, and visualisation in order to assist the client in exploring with their inner experience by understanding their archetypes. This also includes the significance of trauma-informed practice and cultural competency in the counselling process.” by Iqra Humayyon, Integrative therapist >